The present invention generally relates to a tool. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tool and a method for mounting a coupler of a rearview mirror assembly to a base mounted to the interior of a vehicle.
Recently, rearview mirror mounting mechanisms have been designed that readily break away from the portion of a vehicle to which the rearview mirror assembly is mounted in the event of an accident. An example of one such mounting mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,949 issued to Haan et al. and assigned to Donnelly Corporation of Holland, Mich. The mounting mechanism disclosed in the Haan et al. patent is shown in FIGS. 4-7 and described below.
As shown in FIG. 4, the rearview mirror assembly 100 includes a mirror housing 105 that is pivotally mounted to a mounting arm 107 by a ball and socket structure. Mounting arm 107 includes a socket at an opposite end for pivotally mounting arm 107 to a ball 132 of a coupler 110. The ball 132 extends from the main body 112 of coupler 110 via an extension arm 134.
To allow the rearview mirror assembly to break away from a mounting base secured to the vehicle windshield while preventing the rearview mirror assembly from vibrating, the coupler of the rearview mirror assembly must be firmly yet releasably engaged with the base that is adhered to the windshield. To accomplish both of these goals, coupler 110 (FIGS. 4 and 5) of the mounting mechanism disclosed in the Haan et al. patent has a spring clamp retainer band 114 with two flange portions 116 that extend forward and inward to firmly engage dove-tailed side surfaces 158 of a base 150, which is secured to a vehicle windshield 160. The detailed construction of this mounting mechanism is described below with reference to FIGS. 4-7.
As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, base 150 includes a front surface 152 that is secured by an adhesive to the vehicle windshield 160. Additionally, base 150 includes a rear surface 155 that is larger in lateral dimensions than front surface 152 due to the taper of dove-tailed side surfaces 158. In addition to being tapered from front to rear along side surfaces 158, base 150 is tapered at top end 154 such that bottom end 156 is wider than top end 154. As will be apparent from the following description of coupler 110, this additional taper is provided to facilitate the sliding of coupler 110 over base 150.
As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7, coupler 110 includes a body portion 112 and a retaining clip 114 which wraps around a central rear portion of coupler body 112. Coupler body 112 is preferably formed of a die-cast steel and includes a recess formed in its forward surface for receiving base 150. This forward recess and coupler body 112 is confirmed by a bottom base contact surface 118, a front wall 120 which extends perpendicular to bottom base contact surface 118, a rear wall 124, and flange portions 116 formed at opposite sides of retaining band 114. The interior surface of front wall 120 defines a stop surface 122 which contacts top end 154 of base 150 when coupler 110 is fully engaged and secured to base 150. Similarly, rear wall 124 defines a pair of shoulders 126 which snap down over bottom end 156 of base 150 once coupler 110 is slid over base 150 far enough that top end 154 of base 150 is stopped by stop surface 122. It will thus be appreciated that the recess formed in the forward portion of coupler 110 is of nearly the exact dimensions of rear surface 155 of base 150 and that flanges 116 of retaining clip 114 extend around dove-tailed side edges 158 of base 150 to firmly grip and secure base 150 within this forward recess of coupler 110. As shown in FIG. 4, coupler 110 of rearview mirror assembly 100 is slid down over base 150 after base 150 is adhered to windshield 160 such that top end 154 enters the recess in the forward portion of coupler 110 from its bottom end.
Coupler body 112 may additionally include an elongated deeper recess 128 formed in the lower portion of the recess provided in the forward side of coupler 110. Elongated recess 128 is provided to reduce the amount of material used to construct coupler body 110. A slot 130 is formed in rear wall 124 in communication with elongated recess 128. As will be discussed in more detail below, slot 130 is not formed as deep as elongated recess 128 such that an inner surface 129 of rear wall 124 is provided across the bottom rear end of coupler 110.
Although the Haan et al. patent states that the coupler 110 of rearview mirror assembly 100 may be slid over and secured to base 150 without the use of any form of tool, it has subsequently been discovered that the spring force that the retainer clip must exert along the dove-tailed sides 158 of base 150 must be increased to prevent mirror vibration. With this increased force applied by the retaining band, however, up to 90 pounds of pressure must be applied to the coupler to bring it into full engagement with the base. Because this amount of force is too great to permit the rearview mirror assemblies to be mounted by hand, there exists a need for a tool that allows for individuals to quickly and easily mount a rearview mirror assembly to a base during manufacture as well as subsequent repair procedures.